Fundraising is an activity that never stops for those of us in the nonprofit world. Today we’re taking you through some of our favorite fundraising ideas for nonprofits.
You’ll find a super selection of ideas here — from affordable, casual fundraisers to all out, sophisticated events. Find a few you like the look of and add them to your fundraising strategy for this year.
Our Favorite Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofit Organizations
We’re big fans of all of the ideas on this list, but if we had to pick out a few, these would rank as our favorites. Expect a mix of fun, tradition, and — of course — food.
1. Game Night
Challenge your supporters to game for good with a game night fundraiser. Ask them to livestream the latest video games or play board games against friends to raise money while having a great time.
2. T-Shirt Fundraiser
We love T-shirt fundraisers because they give your supporters something in return for their donation. Create a branded T-shirt or limited edition design to support a fundraising campaign.
Know someone that’s a wonderful designer? Ask them to get involved. Alternatively, turn this into a design contest or run a crowdfunding campaign to find a design and raise even more money before the project begins.
3. Book Sale
There’s nothing better than settling down with a good book. Make magic happen and introduce your supporters to a great new read with a traditional book sale. Rent a space and set up displays where people can browse before they buy.
Have a hit author living close by, or have friends in the right places? See if they’ll donate a signed copy of their latest book or do a private reading at your book sale.
4. Restaurant Partnership
Everybody has their own favorite local restaurant. Strike up a partnership with your most loved eatery where a percentage of takings are donated to your nonprofit.
Your supporters get to enjoy their favorite dishes, the restaurant gets a PR boost, and you’ll see a stream of funds heading your way. Win-win-win.
Affordable Fundraising Ideas
Sometimes you don’t want to blow your whole budget on a fundraising event. We know what it feels like to be scrappy and careful with your funds.
Here are some great low-cost fundraising ideas for nonprofits that won’t break the bank.
5. Bake Sale
Who doesn’t love a good old bake sale? They’re a tried and tested favorite of the fundraising circuit for a good reason. We love baked goods, and baked goods that raise funds for a good cause are even more delicious.
Want to mix things up a bit? Put on a themed bake sale, where all the treats are rainbow colored, or festive, or inspired by your favorite superheroes.
6. Movie Night
Get ready for some collective laughs, gasps, and tears as you host a charity movie night. Bring out the projector, a big screen, and plenty of cozy seating for your guests. Sell tickets to a showing of a classic film, or go all out with a totally themed event based around a hit movie franchise.
7. Walkathon
Invite your supporters to join you for a sponsored walk in this classic fundraising idea for nonprofits. They get some gentle exercise in the fresh air, and you benefit from the funds raised through registration fees, peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, and corporate sponsorship.
This is a super affordable way to raise funds for your nonprofit. You can utilize volunteers to help you run the event. You might even be able to get local businesses to pitch in and help with signage, stewarding, or promotion.
8. Yard Sale
With a bunch of people firmly on the decluttering bandwagon, there’s more than ever before to sell at yard sales. Organize a yard sale where people can bring items they no longer want and buy new-to-them treasures they’ll love. Ask for people to pay a small donation to set up a table, or have them send a percentage from sales your way.
Virtual Fundraising Ideas
We’re spending more time than ever before on that super invention we call the internet. Want to move some of your fundraising activities online or host virtual events? Here are a few simple ways to do that.
9. Virtual Karaoke
Get your (computer) microphones at the ready for this virtual take on a party classic. This is one of those creative fundraising ideas for nonprofits that translate super well to the internet.
Challenge your supporters to record themselves singing along to party hits, or stage your own livestream event where your team gets involved. Make it easy for people to donate by using online donation tools and online fundraising pages.
Want something a little different? Turn this into an online talent show instead to cater to a wider range of interests.
10. Online Merch Sales
Most of us are suckers for buying things we see online. Capitalize on this and create a line of branded merchandise that you can sell online through your website or a dedicated platform.
Like with the T-shirt fundraiser, you’ll need the help of someone who’s handy with design software. But once you have a design perfected, you can easily translate that across to clothing, mugs, bags, hats, and more.
11. Online Auctions
Auctions are a great way to raise funds for nonprofits because people are more than happy that some of the funds go to a good cause. Move your auctions online to make the most of today’s world and reach more people. List items for sale on popular sites like eBay, or get creative and host your very own live auction using video.
12. Virtual Challenge
We’ve all seen those viral charity challenges that spread like wildfire. Create your own ice bucket challenge (though on a smaller scale) by making your own virtual challenge to reach a fundraising goal. Think of something fun that others would watch, then create a hashtag and social media promotion around it.
Help your virtual challenge take off fast by getting your most engaged supporters involved first. Send out personalized videos using our ThankGiving platform to spread the word and make it easy for them to donate in one place.
Fundraising Event Ideas
Sometimes nothing beats getting together in person to have a good time and raise money while doing it. These events are some of our favorite fundraising ideas for nonprofits, so give them a try.
13. Charity Auction
If you’re looking for a classic fundraising idea for nonprofits then charity auctions should be top of your list. They’re the perfect way to raise awareness and funds for much-needed projects.
Work your network of businesses and local artists to find amazing auction items, then stage an impressive event and invite your supporters along. People love to get a bargain or the chance to buy something rare or exclusive, so expect to see a lot of familiar faces at your charity auction.
Don’t want the pressure of calling out bids live? Opt for a silent auction instead.
14. Casino Night
Treat your donors to a sophisticated evening of casino games and cocktails, all in the name of raising funds for your nonprofit. Casino nights can be wildly popular as they combine the fun and suspense of games with the feel-good act of donating to a nonprofit.
While they can take some planning and you’ll need an events budget to pull it off, casino nights can be a great way to raise funds.
15. Trivia Night
Looking for a fun, casual way to bring people together for a laugh and raise money? Hosting a trivia night could be just the thing.
Put together rounds of questions, ask your supporters to get into teams, then run your trivia night in person or through a livestream. Ask businesses to pitch in with prizes for teams and set an affordable entry fee to raise money.
16. Cook-Off
If you’ve got a community full of talented budding cooks, they’ll love the idea of a cook off fundraising event. Work with a great local business as a sponsor, and charge an entry fee for this as a standalone or part of a wider foodie event.
Bring everyone together to watch as your novice chefs battle it out to see who can make the tastiest dish. The bonus here is that your guests get to taste some of the food too, so they’re raising money and getting a delicious treat. Perfect.
Workplace Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits
Let’s not forget one of the biggest supporters of nonprofits — the corporate world. Working with businesses to stage fundraisers is the perfect way to build corporate relationships and have fun together. Need some ideas? Here are a few to get you started.
17. Matching Gift Program
One of the best corporate fundraising ideas for nonprofits is to make the most of matching gift programs. This is where you partner up with organizations and they’ll match donations made by their employees to you.
If this is new to you or you want to improve your matching gift program strategy, check out our guide on matching gift programs.
18. Golf Tournament
Golf tournaments are one of those ubiquitous corporate fundraising events, but they still work well. Challenge local businesses to send a team of their finest amateur golfers to spend a day down on the course with you.
This is a great way to raise funds as you can set an entrance fee, plus encourage teams to fundraise through their own network of friends, family members, and colleagues. Plus, you all get to relax a little on the golf course.
After the tournament, send a personalized thank you video to your corporate friends. It’s a lovely way to thank them for their involvement and to extend an invite to make this a yearly get together.
19. Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? They’re great for kids, and they’re also perfect for a playful workplace fundraiser.
Get in touch with some of your closest business pals and suggest you set up a neighborhood scavenger hunt together. Their teams get an afternoon off to raise money for your projects through sponsorship and have fun while they do it. This is one of those fundraising ideas for nonprofits that works great as an event for community members too.
20. Office Potluck Party
Encourage companies close to you to tempt their staff to donate by hosting an office potluck party. It’s like a regular office potluck where everyone brings a dish to share, but with a donation box to raise small change and donations for your nonprofit. Food and fundraising is always a winning combination.
Switch Things Up With These Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits
Every nonprofit out there has access to the same fundraising ideas, but not everyone uses them. Stand out, make a difference, and raise funds for your nonprofit with a mix of these creative ideas.
Take it one step further and integrate video into your fundraising efforts. Use ThankGiving to make it easy for people to donate right on the page, or send personalized thank you videos to your donors after attending an event.
Want to know more? Book a demo with our team to find out how we can help you delight your donors.